Cyberbullying and One-Off Inappropriate Messages:

Advice for Teachers and Headteachers.

This information provides suggestions on how to deal with inappropriate messages received by pupils online or on a mobile phone.

Inappropriate messages may take a number of forms such as cyberbullying, online grooming,negative comments, inappropriate or indecent images, inaccurate information and hate incidents.

Internet providers can trace users through their uniqueIP addresses and mobile providers will have records of calls and texts made, but that won't stop some people from assuming they are posting content anonymously.

Action to be taken. The nature of the message determines the action to be taken as suggested below:
Contact the Local Authority – Children’s Social Care need to know when a child has been harmed or is at risk of significant harm (see LSCB procedures)
Contact EMBC about filtering (they will block inappropriate sites that have got through the system)
Contact the police – when a crime has or may have been committed and needs investigationor where you are concerned about threats made to a child’s safety & well being
Use the CEOP“report abuse” button – this is the same as referring to police and is there for the young person as well as their teachers
What should be said to a pupil or the class? – respond to the nature of the incident and give advice about privacy, risky behaviour and unknown online contacts. Use Thinkuknow resources and address the issues in assembly.
When/how should the headteacher be informed? – Headteachers have the power to regulate behaviour offsite including cyberbullying. Take a robust approach. Involve parents. Use Acceptable Use Policies. Encourage the perpetrator to remove offensive posting from the web.
Are recording/monitoring mechanisms in place? – Complete serious incident form. Keep monitoring records of more minor incidents.
Role of the e-safety co-ordinator – monitor incidents, evaluate, review and implement e-safety developments
Preventative work; e.g. safety/cyberbullying education; help children and young people understand what to do when they receive inappropriate messages. Pupils must learn how to manage online risksand also how to use technology responsibly.
Provide information for parents / carers

Contact Details

Local contacts / Local Safeguarding Children’s Board: (see Ch 12)
Safeguarding and Improvement Unit: 0116 3057570
Police: For emergencies 999 or in a non-emergency 0116 2222222
To report online grooming / Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre

(for young people and teachers)
To report illegal material on the Internet / Internet Watch Foundation Hotline

(hotlines around the world)
For advice and support for Children / Childline ring 0800 1111 or visit the NSPCC:
To make a complaint about a Premium Rate Service / Phone Pay Plus
To report cyberbullying, options include:
Contacting the service provider, social network providers, or mobile operators (see below for details). In serious cases contact your local police / Facebook: use Report and Block within the page being used. Or email: with details.
Mobile phone operators:
O2: 0870 5214 000 or .
Vodafone: Call 191 from a Vodafone phone or on any other phone call 08700 700 191 for Pay Monthly customers or on 08700 776 655 for Pay As You Go
3: Call 333 from a 3 phone or 08707 330 333.
Orange: Call 450 on an Orange phone or 07973 100 450 for Pay As You Go; call 150 from an Orange phone or 07973 100 150 for Pay Monthly customers.
T-Mobile: Call customer services on 150 from a T-Mobile phone or on 0845 412 5000 from a landline, or email from the T-Mobile website at

Created by Ben Robinson Anti-Bullying Development Officer